1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an apparatus for examining alignment conditions of a wheel mounted on a vehicle, such as an automobile, and, in particular, to a wheel alignment examining apparatus capable of examining at least one of various wheel alignment inclination angles to be set on wheels mounted on a vehicle, such as toe, camber, caster and king pin inclination angles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to secure an excellent running performance of a vehicle, such as an automobile, various inclination angles, such as toe, camber, caster and king pin inclination angles, are set on wheels mounted on a vehicle, such as an automobile. Many systems and apparatuses for examining the inclination angles of a wheel mounted on a vehicle have been proposed, including those for examining the inclination angles of a wheel statically by bringing a contact member in static contact with an outer side surface of the wheel while the wheel is maintained at rest and those for measuring the inclination angles of a wheel dynamically by bringing a roller in rolling contact with a side wall of the wheel while the wheel is set in rotation. Also proposed has been an apparatus for examining the inclination angles of a wheel by clamping the wheel at the opposite sides with rollers as described in the Japanese Pat. Laid-open Pub. No. 2-161333.
However, in such prior art technology, in particular the one to carry out a dynamic examination by maintaining a wheel in rotation during examination, the wheel is rotated while maintaining a roller at a fixed location, and, thus, it is not possible to measure variations in the inclination angles of a wheel at various rotating locations thereof. Accordingly, no particular problems may arise if wheels of the same kind, i.e., same in dimension and shape, are examined; however, if it is necessary to examine various wheels different in dimension and shape, poor accuracy in examination would result and there may result a situation where no examination can be carried out properly.